10 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



their appearance marching in file, the latter being near the front. 

 The women are dancing and jumping around a fire on the clear 

 space near the watyoor, and when the contingent from the bush 

 get near enough the women go a little way towards them, and 

 throw small pieces of bark over the men's heads. These pieces 

 of bark are prepared for the purpose, being about the size of a 

 man's open hand. They are first slightly charred in the fire, and 

 are then ornamented with a few stripes or daubs of pipe-clay. 

 Several of these missiles are thrown by each woman, and are 

 warded off by the men. The novices march right on into the 

 waiyoor^ and each boy lies down on the leaves opposite his mother's 

 yam-stick, their guardian's remaining in front of them. The 

 mother's now go back to the main camp, which is perhaps 100 or 

 200 yards away. The men then throw green bushes on the fire, 

 around which they gather until the old men consider that they 

 have been sufficiently fumigated. After this the Kooringal go 

 into the women's camp or into the single men's quarters, V)ut 

 the guardians remain with the novices who camp at the ivatyoor 

 that night. 



Next morning the guardians and novices leave the ivatyoor 

 and go into the bush for some days, gaining their living by 

 hunting. During the day the people at the main camj) proceed 

 to settle any tribal wrongs which may have been perpetrated 

 since the last initiation gathering A few of the men of each 

 side throw spears and other weapons. Some of the women of 

 one tribe engage in combat with women of another ti'ibe, using 

 their yam-sticks freely on their opponents. When their differ- 

 ences are satisfactorily disposed of in accordance with tribal 

 custom, all the people seem to be again on tlie best of terms with 

 each other. 



In the course of a few days the novices are again brought back 

 to a place near the women's camp, painted and wearing their full 

 dress. Pieces of bark or rugs are spread upon the ground, on 

 top of which each mother lays some food for her son. Two 

 " dilly bags," containing leaves, are laid beside each boy's allow- 

 ance of food, and the mothers and old women remain close by, 

 painted and dressed as on the occasion of the return of the 

 novices to the watyoor. When everything is ready the guardians 

 bring the novices marching up, and on their arrival each boy 



